Feed mechanism for sewing-machines



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. H. WILLGOX 8: J. E. A. GIBBS.

FEED MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

No. 354,590 I Patented Dec. 21,1886.-

mmm/M (No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 2 G. H. W'ILLCOX & J. E. A. GIBBS.PEEDQMEGH'ANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Patented Dec. 21, 1886.

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N. PEYEHS. Halo-Lithography, Walh llflion. D. C.

1 m Y j M 2 v (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shet 3. G. H. WILLGOX &'J. E. A.GIBBS.

FEED MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

No. 354,590, Patented Dec. 21,1886.

Willi/WWW N. PETERS. mammo ram wflm m m:

Elvira CHARLES H. \VILLOOX, OF NElV YORK, N. Y., AND JAMES E. A. GIBBS,OF

RAPHINE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE IVILLGOX & GIBBS SEWING MACHINECOMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

FEED MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,590, dated December21, 1886.

Application filed July 31, 1883.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES HENRY WILLOOX, of New York city, in thecounty and State of New York, and JAMES E. A. GIBBs, of Raphine, in thecounty of Rock bridge and State of Virginia, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Feed Mechanisms for SewingMachines, whichimprovement is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates more particularly to that class of feed mechanismin which the 1110- tions are conveyed from an eccentric on the mainshaft in the goose-neck or stationary-arm I 5 of the machine to afeedrbar under the cloth or work plate; but it may be used in whole orin part in other feed mechanisms, whether the feed-bar derives all itsmotions from a single eccentric or from more than one eccentric. It hasfor its object to producea verylightrunning high-speed machine whichshall be durable, or not liable to excessive wear.

The first part of the invention is confined to feed mechanism in whichboth the rise and 25 fall of the feed-bar and its back-and-forthmovements are derived from a single eccentrio; and it consists in anarrangement of devices whereby the motion of the eccentric for raisingand lowering the feed-surface is reduced in transmission to the feedbar,so that the stroke of the eccentric is greater than the rise and fall ofthe feed-surface, and is or may be equal or nearly equal to theback-and-forth motion of the feed-bar for the longest stitches.

3 5 When the throw of the eccentric is not materially greater than therise and fall of the feedbar, it is necessary either to make the latterexcessive with a consequent waste of power and increase of wear at thebearings, besides 40 the difficulty which would arise from limited spaceunder the throat-plate, or to multiply the stroke of the eccentric inorder to secure a sufficient feed in sewing long stitches, the

multiplication being attended with an in- 5 creased strain and wear onthe eccentric and a greater disturbance to the operation on account ofsuch wear.

The second part of the invention consists in supporting and operatingthe feed-bar or carrier for the feed-surface by means of two rock-Serial No. 102.438. (No model.)

shafts, which, being vibrated, impart to said bar or carrier theone aback-and-forth move ment and the other a rise andfall. The vibrationsare of course so timed as to give to the feed-surface the propersuccession of motions. The feed-bar is preferably jointed at one .end toan upright arm of one rock-shaft, and at the other is supported by alink jointed to a horizontal arm of the other rock-shaft. This part ofthe invention is independent of the particular devices employed tovibrate the rock-shafts, since it is obvious that various devices couldbe used for that purpose. For the sake of distinction the rook-shaft forimparting the backand-forth movement to the feed-bar will be hereinaftercalled the feed-advancing shaft, the other the feed-lifting shaft.

vibrating the feed-advancing shaft by means of a lever having a shiftingfulcrum and connected by a link or connecting-rod to an upright arm onsaid shaft. This part of the invention is independent of the specificmeans for vibrating the feed-lifting shaft.

The fourth part of the invention consists in connecting the tworock-shafts with the same lever, so that one eccentric imparts throughsaid rock-shafts all the four mot-ions to the feed-bar.

The invention further comprises certain particular constructions andcombinations of parts, as hereinafter particularly pointed out.

The accompanying drawings represent feed mechanism constructed inaccordance with the invention, Figure 1 being a perspective; Figs. 2 and3, views of opposite ends in sectional elevation Fig. 4, a plan, andFig. 5 a detail view. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are views of mechanism forvibrating the rock-shaft, in which two eccentrics are employed insteadof a single e'ccentric, as in the former.

The main shaft A turns in bearings in the stationary arm or goose-neck Bof the machine. The rock-shafts O D, which are parallel to each otherand to the main shaft A, are j ournaled in bearings below the cloth orwork plate E,'and extend nearly the full length of the machine from thestandard of the goose-neck to the throat-plate. The feed-advancing shaftD is The third part of the invention consists in i placed near the rearof the work-plate, the.

feed-lifting shaft between it and the middle line. of the plate. Thefeed-bar F, to the front end of which the feed-surface G is fastened bythe bolt H, is supported at its rear end by and between the verticalarms I of shaft D by means of a journal-pin, K, on which it is free toturn, and at its front end is upheld by the link L, which embraces thefeed-bar, and is connected with the same by a journal-pin, M, passingthrough the feed-bar and capable of turning freely therein, and which atthe bottom embraces the end of the horizontal arm N of shaft 0, and isconnected therewith by the journal-pin 1?.

At their opposite ends, which are below the standard of the goose-neck,the shafts O D are connected with the lower end of a verticalfeed-lever, R, which has its fulcrum in the slide S, and at its upperend carries a strap encircling the eccentric T on the main shaft. Thevertical lever and the slide are within the hollow of the arm orgoose-neck.

The feed-advancing shaft D is connected with the feed-lever by means ofa horizontal rod, U, which at its rear is jointed to and supported bythe vertical arms I, and at its front end is forked and embraces theflattened end of the lever, and is connected therewith by thejournal-pin W. A vertical link, L, similar to link L, connects the endof the horizontal arm N, of the shaft 0 with the horizontal rod U, andthrough it with the feed-1ever. The effective length of the arm N is, asshown, nearly double that of arm N. The slide S surrounds and is guidedby the rod X, which is fixed to the machine-frame. It is adjusted by apinion engaging a rack, Y, on the side of said slide. The slide is heldby friction in the position to which it may be adjusted. The friction isobtained by a fiat spring, m, confined between the slide and rod in thegroove 12 in said rod. The feed-lever (the lower part of which iscylindrical) passes freely through the sleeve Z, which fits thefeed-lever inside, and is contained within a recess, a, in the bracketb, attached to and forming part of the slide S. This sleeve passesthrough and is fixed in the cylinder 0, which fits within cylindricalrecesses in the bracket b, and forms the journals of the sleeve Z. Therecess a is enlarged at top and bottom, as shown in Fig. 2, so that thesleeve may vibrate on its journals.

The main shaft being turned in the direction of the arrow, the eccentricvibrates the feedlever, and also reciprocates it vertically. Thevertical reciprocation is constant, and is conveyed to the feed-bar Fand feed-surface G, carried thereby, through the feed-lifting shaft 0,its arms N N, and links L L. The arm N being longer than the arm N, thevertical stroke of the feed-lever, which is the same as the throw of theeccentric, is greater than the rise and fall of the feed-surface. Thevibration of the feed-lever, which is varied at will by shifting thefulcrum-slide up and down,

imparts a back-and-forth movement to feedbar F through theconnecting-rod U, feed-advancing shaft D, and its arms I I. The links LL, owing to the joints at the ends, do not interfere with thetransmission of motion to the feed-advancing rock-shaft. The feed-bar Fand connecting-rod U, being connected by journal-pins with arms I I, donot interfere with the rocking of the feed-lifting shaft.

As shown, the eccentric is of such size that its throw is about equal tothe longest stitch which it would be desirable to make, so that themotion of the eccentric would ordinarily he reduced in both directionsin operating the eed.

The parts of the machine not shown are or may be such as shown anddescribed in Letters Patent No. 239,998, dated April 12, 1881, the newfeed mechanism being substituted for that shown therein, or such asshown and described in our application for improvement insewing-machines filed of even date herewith, officially numbered102,437; or they may be of any ordinary or suitable constructionl Themechanism is applicable as well to' end to a horizontal arm, N N,respectively,

on the rock-shafts; also, that the feed-lifting shaft could be vibratedby such means, (see Fig. 8, wherein the mechanism for vibrating thefeed-lifting shaft is lettered as in Figs. 6 and 7,) while thefeed-advancing shaft is operated from an eccentric, T, through afeedlever, B, with shifting fulcrum. In Fig. 6 the arm N is slotted, andthe journal-pin at the lower end of the rod R is adjustable in the slot,in order to regulate the feed movement, and so other changes could bemade.

The length of the rock-shaft will be proportioned to the distance of theeccentric to the side of the feed-bar.

We wish it distinctly understood that the means for operating therock-shafts shown in Fig. 6 are not equivalents for or a modified formof the operating means in the other figures; also, that an arrangementemploying two eccentrics is not an equivalent for or modification of thearrangement employing asingle eccentric. On the contrary, the operatingmechanism employing the feed-lever of the other figures, and also thatemploying a single eccentric, as shown in' Figs. 1 and 2, has specialadvantages, and is made the subject of special claims, which do notinclude the arrangements shown in Fig. 6, or which do not include thearrangements of either Fig. 6 or of Figs. 7 and 8. These figures (towit, 6, 7, and 8) are given to illustrate how separate use may be madeof a part of the invention, which in its entirety is illustrated inFigs. 1 to 5.

Having now fully described our said invention and the manner in whichthe same is or may be carried into effect, what we claim is- 1. Thecombination, with a feed-bar, of an eccentric having a throw greaterthan the rise and fall of the feed-bar, and reciprocatory mechanismconnecting said eccentric with the feedbar, for giving to the latterbotharising-and-falling and a back-and-forth movement,said mech-- anismcomprising means-such as lever-arms of unequal length, the longer armconnected with the eccentric, the shorter arm with the feed-bar-wherebythe throw of the eccentric is reduced in giving the rise and fall tosaid feed-bar, substantially as described.

. 2. The combination, with the feed-liftin g and the feed-advancingrockshafts, of a feed-bar supported wholly thereby, having one endpivoted to a vertical arm of thefeed-advancing shaft and the otherconnected with a horizontal arm of thefeed-lifting shaft by a linkpivoted at its upper end to the feed-bar and at its lower end to saidarm, substantially as described. I

v 3. The combination, with the feed-lifting and feed-advancingrock-shafts, each journaled in stationary bearings, and the feed-barconnected with said shafts, of an eccentric, an upright feed-lever whoseupper end encirclesrsaid eccentric, the connecting-rod between the lowerend of said feed-lever and an arm of the feedadvancing rook-shaft, andthe adjustable fulcrum at an intermediate point on said feedlever,substantially as described.

4. The combination of the single eccentric,

feed-lever, feed-lifting and feed-advancing rock-shafts, feed-bar, andconnections whereby feed-bar through said rock-shafts,substantially areimparted from said eccentric to said feedbar, said connectionscomprising lever-arms of unequal length, the longer arm on the side ofthe eccentric, the shorter arm on the side of the feed-bar, for reducingthe motion of the eccentric in transmitting the rise and fall to saidfeed-bar, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the main shaft turning in bearings in thegoose-neck, the single feed-eccentric thereon, the feed-lever engagingsaid eccentric, the feed-lifting and feed-advancing rock-shaftsunder thework-plate, both connected with the lower end of said feed-lever, andthe feed-bar connected with said rockshafts, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the'feed-bar the single feed-eccentric, thefeed-1ever, the adj ustable fulcrum-piece, the feed-advancing rockshaft,and the connections between it and the said feed-lever and the saidfeed-bar, respectively, of the feed-lifting rock-shaft having a shortarm connected with the said feed-bar and a longer arm connected with thesaid feed-1ever, so as to reduce the motion of the said feedeccentric inproducing a rise and fall of the feed-bar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. H. WILLOOX. JAS. E. A. GIBBS. Witnesses: PHILIP MAURO, GEO. T.SMALLWooD.

